Providing a Video User Interface

• US 20090049473A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patil, Anant, Pickelsimer, Lisa A., Werner, David, Fabricant, Robert, Musick, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/126,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049473A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a user interface. First, a first input may be received and a currently displayed programming content may be shrunken. Next, the shrunken programming content may be displayed. Then, in response to the received first input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising at least three display elements may be displayed. Each one of the three display elements may respectively include a first content element, a second content element, and a third content element. The first content element may display a plurality of available on-demand programming groups. The second content element may display further information with respect to a selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups. The third content element may display cover art corresponding to content available within the selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a media guide comprising at least three display elements wherein each one of the at least three display elements respectively includes one of the following;

a first content element configured to display a plurality of available on-demand programming groups;

a second content element configured to display further information with respect to a selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups; and

a third content element configured to display cover art corresponding to content available within the selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the media guide including the first content element configured to display the plurality of available on-demand programming groups comprises displaying the media guide including the first content element configured to display the plurality of available on-demand programming groups comprising at least one of the following:

premium networks, subscription networks, free zone, movies on demand, events on demand, adult on demand, and recently viewed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to a user selecting, from the first content element, one of the following:

the premium networks, the subscription networks, and the free zone, the second displaying various programming networks that a service provider offers corresponding to a selected one of the programming groups.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user selecting, from the first content element one of the following:

movies on demand, events on demand, and adult on demand, displaying in the second content element search options a service provides makes available to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user selecting, from the first content element one of the following:

movies on demand, events on demand, and adult on demand, displaying in the second content element search options a service provides makes available to the user, the search option comprising at least one of the following;

new releases, last chance, movies A-Z, and movies by genre.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the media guide comprises displaying the media guide in response to a received first input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the media guide in response to the received first input comprises displaying the media guide in response to the first input received from a control device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the media guide comprises displaying the media guide in response to a received first input, the first input being received in response to a user selecting a menu element from a displayed menu.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the media guide comprises:

shrinking a currently displayed programming content; and

displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide comprises displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide to fit at least the width of a high-definition television (HDTV) display.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second input; and

in response to receiving the second input, re-displaying at least a portion of the media guide wherein a one of the at least three display elements respectively includes a different one of the following;

the first content element;

the second content element;

the third content element;

the fourth content element; and

the fifth content element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the media guide comprises displaying the media guide wherein a one of the at least three display elements includes the first content element configured to display the plurality of available programming channels wherein a selected one of the plurality of available programming channels corresponds to programming content.

13. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing a user interface, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a first input;

shrinking, in response to the received first input, a currently displayed programming content;

displaying the shrunken programming content;

displaying, in response to the received first input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising at least three display elements wherein each one of the at least three display elements respectively includes one of the following;

a first content element configured to display a plurality of available on-demand programming groups;

a second content element configured to display further information with respect to a selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups; and

a third content element configured to display cover art corresponding to content available within the selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein displaying the media guide including the first content element configured to display the plurality of available on-demand programming groups comprises displaying the media guide including the first content element configured to display the plurality of available on-demand programming groups comprising at least one of the following:

premium networks, subscription networks, free zone, movies on demand, events on demand, adult on demand, and recently viewed.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein in response to a user selecting, from the first content element, one of the following:

the premium networks, the subscription networks, and the free zone, the second displaying various programming networks that a service provider offers corresponding to a selected one of the programming groups.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising, in response to a user selecting, from the first content element one of the following:

movies on demand, events on demand, and adult on demand, displaying in the second content element search options a service provides makes available to the user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising, in response to a user selecting, from the first content element one of the following:

movies on demand, events on demand, and adult on demand, displaying in the second content element search options a service provides makes available to the user, the search option comprising at least one of the following;

new releases, last chance, movies A-Z, and movies by genre.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a second input; and

in response to receiving the second input, re-displaying at least a portion of the media guide wherein a one of the at least three display elements respectively includes a different one of the following;

the first content element;

the second content element;

the third content element;

the fourth content element; and

the fifth content element.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein displaying the media guide comprises displaying the media guide wherein a one of the at least three display elements includes the first content element configured to display the plurality of available programming channels wherein a selected one of the plurality of available programming channels corresponds to programming content currently displayed.

20. A system for providing a user interface, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

display a media guide comprising at least three display elements wherein each one of the at least three display elements respectively includes one of the following;

a first content element configured to display a plurality of available on-demand programming groups comprising at least one of the following;

premium networks, subscription networks, free zone, movies on demand, events on demand, adult on demand, and recently viewed;

a second content element configured to display further information with respect to a selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups, the second content element being configured to display programming networks that a service provider offers corresponding to a selected one of the programming groups; and

a third content element configured to display cover art corresponding to content available within the selected any of the plurality of available on-demand programming groups; and

in response to a user selecting, from the first content element one of the following;

movies on demand, events on demand, and adult on demand, displaying in the second content element search options a service provides makes available to the user, the various search option comprising at least one of the following;

new releases, last chance, movies A-Z, and movies by genre.